


show me where my armor ends (show me where my skin begins)

by sxftmelody



Category: Everything Sucks (TV)
Genre: Cuddles, F/F, Thunderstorms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-25
Updated: 2018-02-25
Packaged: 2019-03-23 16:51:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13791993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sxftmelody/pseuds/sxftmelody
Summary: Kate and Emaline have the motel room by themselves, there’s a thunderstorm, and Emaline’s scared of thunder.





	show me where my armor ends (show me where my skin begins)

 

Kate’s just finishing up in the shower when the storm begins. The drama and A/V club mashup had noticed the dark grey clouds brewing in the sky earlier (Luke wasn’t too happy about it) so Kate isn’t too surprised at the weather. 

 

She feels and hears a rather strong rumble of thunder shake the motel room just as she slips on her clothes, drying her hair with the motel’s off-white towel. Upon opening the bathroom door and shutting off its lights, she hears the TV blaring.

 

“Emaline?” she calls out questionably. She spots the upperclassman sat at the end of her bed, eyes on the TV. “Hey, where’d Leslie go?”

 

“She went to go play ping-pong with Tyler,” Emaline blinks, furrowing her eyebrows and waving her hand vaguely, “or something.”

 

“Okay,” Kate responds before pointing her thumb towards the bathroom, “uh, the bathroom’s free if you wanted to shower.”

 

“No, I’m good,” Emaline shakes her head, eyes snapping towards the window as a flash of lightning shines through the closed curtains. 

 

Kate watches the skin of Emaline’s throat tighten as she gulps, eyes focused back onto the TV with a little more concentration than need-be for a shitty soap opera. 

 

Thunder rumbles. 

 

“I don’t feel that dirty, anyway.”

 

The response is odd because she and Emaline had to flip a coin over who got to shower first (Kate had won and Emaline had grumbled something about the coin being toyed with), so Kate knows something is up. Emaline has been off ever since Oliver left, but Kate’s not completely oblivious; she knows Emaline’s scared of the thunder.

 

“That’s probably for the better,” Kate nods, which causes Emaline to look at her in surprise. The younger girl shrugs, walking over to her own bed and opening up her book, “My dad always told me that it’s bad to shower during a storm.”

 

“Really?” Emaline’s eyebrows rose up. She quickly composes herself and nods just as Kate looks back up at her, “Uh, I mean, yeah, that’s right.”

 

There’s a comforting smile on Kate’s lips just as another flash of lightning comes through. Emaline visibly tenses, looking away from Kate’s eyes. 

 

“Emaline,” Kate calls out, watching as Emaline keeps her vision lined up on the TV screen, watching as Emaline closes her eyes and takes a deep breath as the crackling thunder grows in volume before fading away. 

 

“Emaline,” Kate repeats, successfully getting the girl to look at her. Kate pats the spot on the bed next to her twice. Emaline blinks once, twice, and then she moves quickly from her bed to Kate’s just in time before a particularly bright flash of lightning cuts the power out. 

 

“Oh no,” Emaline whispers. 

 

Since the bed’s are so small, Emaline is practically laying against Kate, and Kate can  **feel** how scared the girl is. She’s trembling.

 

“Hey, we’re fine,” she tries to reassure her.

 

“Are we, though?” Emaline hisses back through the darkness, ruffling up the blankets and slipping under them. Kate settles down next to her, gently dropping her book onto the floor. 

 

“We are,” Kate says in a soft but stern tone, hoping it’s enough to get through to Emaline. 

 

They’re laying face-to-face now, eyes finding each other’s through the milliseconds of lightning flashes. 

 

“Have you always been scared of thunderstorms?” Kate asks this gently, not teasing at all. There’s no venom or bite in her voice.

 

“I’m not scared,”

 

“Emaline, you’re shaking,” Kate states, placing a hand on Emaline’s upper arm to prove her point.

 

Emaline lets out a shaky breath, “Okay, fine,  **yes** , I’ve been scared ever since I was a little kid.”

 

Her tone sounds defeated, which Kate frowns at. She doesn’t want Emaline to feel embarrassed or ashamed for being scared of thunder (she doesn’t want Emaline to feel bad at all, really).

 

“I’m scared of clowns,” Kate says quickly, causing Emaline’s wandering eyes to zone in on Kate’s. Another flash of lightning and Kate starts spilling more words out of her mouth to keep Emaline focused on her and not the thunder, “I…  **Especially** when they’re in horror movies—ugh, horror movies are the  **worst** . I end up having nightmares for  **days** .”  

 

“Really?” Emaline asks, only tensing up slightly at the rumbling thunder. Kate’s hand on her forearm squeezes lightly; her way of saying she’s there for Emaline.

 

“Yeah, I would have to sleep with my parents,” Kate smiles, “Now, my dad never lets me watch horror movies.”

 

“You would still watch them?” Emaline questions in disbelief, letting out a small laugh.

 

“Hey, they can be interesting!” Kate responds in her defence, laughing along with Emaline. To her welcome surprise, Emaline barely reacts when another flash of lightning comes—she merely looks at the window behind Kate before looking back at Kate. They look at each other for a few more seconds before Emaline speaks up.

 

“Thanks,” she says quietly. Kate barely hears her over the thunder.

 

“For what?” Kate smiles.

 

“You  **know** ,” Emaline rolls her eyes, shoving Kate’s shoulder gently.

 

Kate grins, “It’s no problem, really. Are you feeling better?”

 

“Yeah, I am,” Emaline nods, “Thank you.”

 

“Stop thanking me,” Kate moves her hand from Emaline’s arm to the space on the bed between their faces, “I’m just glad you’re feeling better.”

 

Emaline rests her hand on top of Kate’s. 

 

Kate doesn’t expect the older girl to move forward and kiss her palm—but she does—and it makes Kate’s stomach tingle. 

 

“Mind if I sleep here?” Emaline’s breath ghosts over Kate’s knuckles.

 

“I don’t mind at all,” Kate replies, kind of in a daze.

 

Another flash of lightning and Emaline tightens her hold on Kate’s hand, closing her eyes and shifting forward. When the thunder crackles, Emaline stiffens up and then Kate is the one shifting forward, moving her hand out from under Emaline’s to rest lightly on the older girl’s hip. The movement from Kate is a ‘go-ahead’ sign to Emaline, who is quick to let herself be pulled into Kate’s arms.

 

Yeah, Kate thinks to herself, she doesn’t mind at all.

  
  



End file.
